Severe pressure - which at one point last week almost created a need for 40 extra beds - has caused the hospital to expand provision at its own expense.

Planned surgery over the Christmas period for many patients has been postponed until the new year as A&E admissions soar by 17.5%.

The shortfall comes seven months after Southport and Ormskirk NHS Trust was ordered by management consultants to axe 28 beds.

A spokesman for the trust admitted the hospital is currently experiencing “unprecedented levels of demand”.

He said: “In line with the national picture, some people are having to wait in A&E for a bed to become available longer than we would normally find acceptable, and we apologise for this.

“Our A&E department is fully staffed, with senior management having been directly involved at all times in managing the situation.

“We are working hard to manage this unusual situation and are constantly looking at the best way to get enough flexibility into our system to allow us to cope with such pinch-points with minimum disruption to our patients.”

The Visiter believes that severe infections affecting the elderly are responsible for a considerable amount of admissions.

Hospital chiefs are said to be frustrated at having to pay to open up a mothballed ward themselves, with Sefton Primary Care Trust understood to have refused pleas to provide an intermediate care ward.

Southport MP John Pugh said “First the hospitals were told that they should lose beds and now demand is exceeding supply with the hospital unsure as to how the extra care will be funded.

“Obviously illness patterns can be seasonal and varied but recent events call in question the received wisdom that demand for hospital beds will keep falling.”

When approached, Southport Hospital deflected the funding issue.

Its spokesman added: “We do not believe it is the time to worry about funding arrangements; our main concern is to make sure our patients get the care they need.

“We are sure the health economy as a whole will consider this problem when the pressure has been relieved and things have got back to normal.”

As admissions show no sign of slowing, hospital chiefs have urged patients to consider making alternative healthcare choices, such as NHS Direct.

A Sefton PCT spokesman said: “Following a review of options, the PCT is providing additional GP, nursing and social worker support in A&E.

“We feel that these arrangements are more effective than funding an intermediate care ward.